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被遺忘了的爭辯 这一場科学的爭辯發生在40年前,而且最初并沒有引起科学家們多大的注意。爭辨(在那时候看來)是关于一个沒有什么实际意义、很不起眼的發現的。英國微生物学家凱特勒發現:土壤里面細菌的数量周期地变动着,有时候增大,有时候减少。这位研究家推測:这是因为一些最簡單的有机体(例如阿米巴)时时在吞滅着土壤里面的微生物的原故。凱特勒的說法引起了若干微生物学家的反駁。他們在第三次国际土壤学家会議上声称:根据他們的观察,即使是土壤里面沒有任何最簡單的有机体的时候,它里面微生物的数量也还是在变
The Forgotten Argument This scientific debate took place 40 years ago and did not initially draw much attention from scientists. The argument (at that time) was about a discovery that had little practical significance and was inconspicuous. British microbiologist Ketterer found that the amount of bacteria in the soil periodically changes, sometimes increases and sometimes decreases. The researcher speculates: This is because some of the simplest organisms (such as amoeba) are constantly destroying the microorganisms in the soil. Ketterer’s claim has caused a number of microbiologists to refute. They claimed at the third International Conference of Soil Scientists: According to their observations, even if there is no simplest organism in the soil, the number of microorganisms in it is still changing.